Our History

AHI Travel is a creative travel company recognized around the world for its design and operation of deluxe, personalized group travel programs. Richard and Arlene Small, two of the travel industry's most storied pioneers, founded the company in 1962 when they launched the first-ever alumni travel programs at dozens of universities across the United States and later in Canada.

Among the earliest trips they developed were the first overnight cruises on the Moselle, Main and Neckar rivers in Germany and the Seine, Rhône and Saone rivers in France. They also took the first U.S. travelers down the Dnieper, Volga, Neva and Oka rivers in the former Soviet Union. AHI Travel went on to create the popular and widely emulated Alumni Campus Abroad® programs – weeklong, all-inclusive, single-destination experiences featuring seminars conducted by local experts.

Many know of AHI Travel as Alumni Holidays®. Indeed, the history of alumni group travel is largely written in the accomplishments of Alumni Holidays. Our deluxe and individually crafted programs cover the world from Europe to Asia, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

The outstanding reputation AHI Travel has established for quality, service and value grew from the Smalls' commitment to providing the very best to travelers. They set the tone for AHI and developed a culture of excellence. Their motto, which hangs at the entrance to our offices, is:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.Never, but never, say no until you have exhausted every conceivable possibility to say yes!

Today, the company is owned and managed by the Smalls’ sons, Brian, Joe and Rick, who are themselves veterans of the travel industry and share Richard and Arlene’s devotion to excellence. In total, they have racked up more than 90 years of experience in the travel industry and traveled to more than 100 countries.

As we move forward, we are redoubling our efforts to create exclusive, one-of-a-kind travel opportunities that appeal to the educated traveler. We pledge to you that the qualities that have distinguished us since 1962 – innovation, creativity and the highest levels of service and quality – will continue to guide our efforts.